Worldwalking
In Obenist theology, worldwalking is the act of crossing from one physical reality to another by following Fetśu, the Road, the third and longest branch of The World Tree Saldibeno. In an Obenist framework, worldwalking is limited solely to those worlds that are connected to the Tree by the Road, and the countless minor words that do not share this connection are forever lost and unreachable. Mechanics Wordwalking works by accessing Fetśu, a branch of Saldibeno. The Road can be accessed from any place in Sutarna and presumably other worlds, and is set to a physical location. According to King Lannídyel in Surma Caltha's account of Scerna's journey to Relayoré, the Road is reached not "by going to it", but by "starting to walk it". Whether anyone has the capacity to walk the Road, or if it is a particular form of the Gift, is uncertain and a topic of discussion among Obenist scholars. Known and Believed Worldwalkers The vast majority of accounts of worldwalking are found in Arazi mythology, with a few notable ones surviving even into the Obenist mythological framework in the Surma Caltha. Related Asatic belief systems, particularly Coeric polytheism, also contain references to individuals crossing the borders between different worlds and realities. Mythological Figures * Scerna: a figure from Arazi and Obenist mythology; learned the worldwalk from Lannídyel and journeyed to Relayoré to bring the Eternal Flame to Sutarna. * Cantra: a figure from Arazi and Obenist mythology; while not explicitly said the have walk the Road, Cantra's travels led him through varied landscapes populated by various spirits, and many believe that he may have crossed into at least Ortyeng, the Deserted, and Heśeledo, the Mountainous, before circling back and returning to the Great Sea in Sutarna. * Narta: Obenist mythology; not a confirmed worldwalker, Narta was said to have retraced a part of Cantra's journeys, likely travelling through Ortyeng ("The Desert") and Heśeledo ("The Three Mountain Ranges"). Historical Figures * Yure of Astár, a self-proclaimed miracle worker and propher of Amnìr, God of Night, and leader of a cult who lived in the 20th century 4A in the Asatic Empire, claimed to have walked the Road and visited, among other worlds, the elusive Zisaldi, the cosmic Void of Creation. * Tsvult of Mestèl: a mysterious man who appeared outside the city of Mestèl in 2435 4A; Tsvult claimed to have walked the Road "from the roots at Fersaldi to the Crown of Stars, through the icy deserts of Yurtoré and the misty veils of Navitsutu" and possessed the Gift of mists. A few months after his appeared, Tsvult disappeared from the view of the authorities, never to be seen again. * Baśko Velizi, a merchant from Fambrili, claimed to be able to travel between worlds in her dreams starting from 2659 4A. She wrote detailed accounts of her travels and logged over 300 worlds she said she had visited. Baśko claimed she was most often drawn to Heśeledo and Lhetasu the Thundering, but said that her favorite world was Mahtsa, one of the worlds that has only been described by Baśko herself. * Caighd na Puenn, a Coeric noble who returned from the colony of Riamme Rate in Sephir in 2783 4A and claimed to have traveled along the Road, with a stop in what he called "a land of bright mists and maddening bells". Caighd appeared in Partu suddenly and his claims where at least partially supported by the fact that no ship had any records of him boarding in Sephir or disembarking anywhere in Gondala. After a few run-ins with Arazi authorities, Caighd returned to mainland Coedor. ** One witness account of Caighd's appearance in Partu: "I was at the marketplace when it happened. A bright light appeared in the air above a stand, I think it sold local pomegranates or maybe persimmons, and from that light a set of steps ran down through the stalls, straight to the pavement. A man, he walked out the light and down the steps, passing through the pomegranate stall, yes, it was definitely pomegranates, as if it was just an illusion, and then he fell to his knees on the ground. Sallóh knows I rushed to help him, but a curious sound, a thunderous crack erupted from the man, and I dared not approach him." Category:Obenist cosmology Category:Meta Category:Magic